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Letters to the editor: A voice for 'Big Tobacco'

A voice for 'Big Tobacco'

Patrick Fleenor argues that Gov. Carney’s proposed tax hike is unwise because it will affect poor smokers more than middle-class smokers.

That may be true, but for those poor smokers, I would suggest they get their priorities in order and give up smoking altogether.

That way they will benefit from not paying any extra tax, not paying existing tax, and not paying for gas to travel to smoke shops in Delaware or other states. They will become healthier, live longer, and provide a better life for their families who probably go short of essentials due to the cost of cigarettes.

If this causes a loss of revenue and jobs associated with the tobacco industry and its foul addiction causing products, then all the better. The long-term savings in health care would more than offset any short-term financial changes. State revenue and job retention is not a valid argument for the sale of "cancer tubes." Everyone would benefit.

Don’t listen to Big Tobacco’s lackey, Patrick Fleenor.

Dr. Geoffrey C. Olive

Bear

More pro tennis coverage

I have been a regular subscriber to the paper since I moved to Delaware in April 2008. I am quite distressed over your coverage, or lack of, for professional tennis.

It seems as if it only gets space when there is not much else to report such as local bowling or the running local schedule, etc. On Sunday there was the final of the Miami Open tournament which featured a classic match between two of the most successful and charismatic figures in tennis, Nadal and Federer.

Federer prevailed, but there no article or even a few lines acknowledging the match. In general, even on the Scoreboard page, there is often no tournament results at all on any given day.

It appears that tennis is covered there only on days when you have a scarcity of other sports to report. This is all very disappointing to me and might eventually result in my canceling my subscription.

Howard Cohen

Newark

State-backed drug use

The state of Delaware seems to be promoting drug use, which includes alcohol. The constant advertising of the production of beer and other spirits will eventually come back to haunt the First State.

Any mind-altering drug which we as a society rely upon to raise money will eventually lead to our demise. That includes marijuana

We are fighting a war in countries that are the main exporter of the residue of the poppy plant, aka heroin.

If you believe you have a problem with any mind-altering drug, you probably do.

Focus on our children

Surely our future depends on our youth. They deserve the very best preparation for their, and our, future in this troubled world.

Eleanor Hickey

Seaford

Reality of Delaware prisons

In a letter captioned “ACLU needs to stay out of prison issues” the writer states “criminals do not warrant a life of prison luxury,”and “prisoners have access to television, telephone, and probably the internet”, and “when you choose to commit a crime you should lose any and all rights …” and she goes on to call for more “tough on crime” laws, the same clarion call of those frustrated with our broken criminal justice system which has not reduced crime over the past 40 years.

Prison luxury? The fact is that prisoners routinely are subjected to unlawful and unconscionable abuse and neglect. Let me remind the writer that most inmates are incarcerated for nonviolent offenses and many have not even yet been convicted of any crime. Most do not have access to TV. A handful have very limited internet access under extremely close supervision for some education programs. I have seen what goes on in our prisons and I am in touch every day with families of inmates and prison officials who are afraid to “go public” with the information for fear of criminal retaliation by other officials